Electroplated wooden body and similar porous article.



J. H. PRYOR.

ELEGTROPLATED WOODEN BODY AND SIMILAR POROUS ARTICLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1910.

1,000,037. Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

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'11,, I'll WITNESSES IIV VENTflR d Jose h/A. Pryor ATTORNEYS I COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

JOSEPH I-I. PRYOR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTROPLATED WOODEN BODY AND SIMILAR POROUS ARTICLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

Application filed April 6, 1910. Serial No. 553,847.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnrn H. PRYoR, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electroplated IVooden Bodies and Similar Porous Articles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an electroplated wooden or similar article of novel construction which is not liable to absorb an undesirable volume of heat from bodies which are brought into contact with such articles. Thus the invention may be applied to a large number of household articles or fixtures, which when handled or otherwise brought in contact with a human body are not liable to produce an objectionable chill. The invention is equally applicable to wooden water tanks and similar constructions, which are metallically coated to render them water-tight and which nevertheless owing to the minimum of heat transmitting faculty will not become coated with condensed moisture from the air.

To effect the result desired, the air contained within the pores of the wooden bodies is rarefied and the partial vacuum thus attained is fixed by plugging up the ends of the pores and then electroplating the surface of the body.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a plan of a closet seat embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is an exaggerated cross section on line 22, Fig. 1.

In carrying out the invention, a porous body 5, preferably wood, is so treated that the air contained within its pores 6, is materially attenuated. This result may be accomplished by subjecting said body to a heat which is sufficient to rarefy and expel the bulk of the air contained within its pores, but the same effect may be obtained by treating the body in a vacuum. After the rarefication of the air, the body is dipped into a bath of molten wax, paraflin or other acid proof coagulative material, and is then immediately transferred to a chilling bath which will solidify the wax. The period during which the wooden body is dipped into the wax bath is of such a short duration that the wax will enter the ends or mouths of the pores only, while the subsequent immersion into the chilling bath will coagulate the wax, so that it will form plugs 7 that project inwardly from the coating 8 and thus close the pores. In this way the pores will be so sealed at both ends that the vacuum previously produced will be maintained within the same. The sealed porous body is now covered with a layer of graphite and then the metallic surface coating is formed thereon by electroplating in the usual manner. v

It will be seen that by the above process a compound body is formed consisting of a thin metallic shell and of an inclosed core within which a vacuum is permanently maintained. In this way the heat conducting faculty of the core is materially reduced, so that the temperature of the shell will rapidly conform to that of any bodies which may come into contact therewith. Thus, with the example illustrated, a toilet seat is produced which possesses superior sanitary qualities, but does not cause an undesirable chilling effect upon the human body.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a compound body, comprising a porous core, the pores of which contain attenuated alr, a layer surrounding said body and closing the mouths of the pores, and a metallic shell inclosing the layer, said shell being produced by electroplating.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a compound body, comprising a porous core, the pores of which contain attenuated air, a layer surrounding said body and provided with integral plugs that are received within the mouths of the pores, and a metallic shell inclosing the layer and plugs, said shell being produced by electroplating.

Signed by me at New York city, N. Y., this fifth day of April, 1910.

JOSEPH H. PRYOR.

Witnesses:

JAMES J. HARLIN, FRANK v. BRIESEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

